Can perforator



Sept. 20, 1932. MANTEUF'EL, 1,878,956

CAN PERFORATOR Filed Aug. 11'. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Ira ez i0n 71627065505: dzgg as? Mia/1 few/e2, 45 m 5: I,

Sept. 20, 1932. A. MANTEUFIL. 1,373,955

CAN PERFORATOR F'iledAug. 11. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W252: 695 a 5 Idzgwai wazziezzfs'.

3%,WTW 4, W

r as

a curing opening an tion with a can;

Patented Sept. 20,

UNITED STATES PATENT oar-roe AUGUST MANTEUFEL, OF -CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ABSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND KESNE A8- SIGNMENTS, OF ONE-THIRD TO AUGUSTIBLUH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND ONE- THIBJ) 'IO BOYALE. OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS 7 application fled August 11, 1880. Serial No. 474,554.

' Thisinvention relates to a can perforator, and an object of theinvention is tbe prov1- sion of a device simple and'durable inconstruction, economica to manufacture, and efiicient in operation,'bymeansof which cans or similar receptacles may be perforated for pouringthe contents therefrom. A further object is the provision of a device ofthis character adapted to be attached to a can or receptacle, andmaintained; in attached engagement until a can or receptacle has beenemptied of its -contents,the device beingconstructed and arranged tosealor close the opening or openings when not in use. As

an additional object, the invention contemplates the provision of aliquid receptacle perforating device ada ted to perforate both an airvent opening, with ahandle portion, and means for lifting theperforating members out of engagement with the openings when itisdesired to pour'from the container or receptacle.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention consists in thecombinations hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming-a part of this specification, and in which Fig. 1 is aside elevational' view, partly in section, showing the device in engagedposi- Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device as shown 7 f Fig. '3- is adetail pivotally mounted c ampingvmember;

rspectiveview of the Fig i'is'a perspective view of the clampingi leveri g. 5 is an enlarged detailv-iew showing the perforating arm indepressed position,

'andtheclamping-member in disengaged position; 5" Fig. 6 is'a verticalview taken substantially on'theline 66 of Fig. 5;

"Fig'g'lis a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the perforating arm indepressedposition, andthe' clamping member in engaged posifitl a a d i'--*Fig.8 is a perspective view of the supporting'member and bracketwith a portion of the handle.

As illustrated in the drawings, the preferred embodiment of theinvention comprises'a supporting member or arm 11, which isnormallylad'apted to extend diametrically across t top of a can orsimilar receptacle. One end of the sup orting member 11 is preferablybifurcat to provide a longitudinal slot-12 for the reception or passageof the perforating prong, which shears an outlet opening, and also toprovide a pair of depending fingers 13, which engage an edge of the canas shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The remainder of the supporting member 11 isof sufiicient length to extend transversely A bracket member 15 ismounted upon arm 11, a slightly greater distance from the fingers 13than the diameter of the can to be en god, and has integrally formedlateral aces 16, the upper portionsof which have circular openings 17for the reception of a pivot pin 18, and the lower portions of whichhave rectangular openings 19 for receiving the transverse portion 20 ofclamping lever 21. The clamping member 22 is preferably formed of atransverse portion 23 and two substantially .parallelside plates 24,each of which is provlded with 8.112013611- ing 25 to receivepivot pin18, and also rovided with a clamping jaw 26, whic is adapted to engagethe downturned flange rtion 27 of the can cover as shown in Fig.

The side plates 24 are preferably disosed, respectively, adjacent theouter suraces of the faces 16 of bracket 15, as shown in Fig. 6, andlates 24 are-also provided with transversely 'a ligned triangular openin28, which receive flattened portion 20 of'campingdever 21. As shown inFigs. 5 and7, the

be shifted into engaged position as shown in Fig. 7.

In addition to slot 12, the supporting member 11 is also provided with alongitudinal w depressed, elevates member to the dotted line positionshown in Fig. 1. Mounted adj acent the free extremity of member 30 is anoutlet perforating prong 33, which when forced through the can lid,severs or shears a rectangular opening adjacent the top edge of a can asshown in Fig. 1. in the preferred embodiment disclosed. Mounted adjacentthe opposite horizontal portion of member 30 is an air vent perforatingprong 34 which, when member30 is depressed, shears or perforates an airvent. opening in the can lid, substantially diametrically opposite tothe outlet opening.

As shown in Fig. 7, prong 34 is preferably curved becauseof itsproximity to the pivotal mounting of member 30, and the inner curvedportion also serves to crimp the lid inwardly as shown at 35 in Fig. 7.In the full line position shown in Fig. 1, prong 33 extends through slot12, and prong 34 extends through slot 29. In the preferred embodimentshown,- member 30 is normally maintained, in depressed position by meansof coil spring 36 surrounding pivot pin 18.

he operation of the device is substantially indicated by the foregoingdescription of parts and functions. ,To place in operative position,member 30 is elevated by depressmg the lifter portion 32, the su portingmember 11 is placed transversely o the top of the receptacle, and thenlever 21 is swung from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the positionshown in Fig. 7, which serves to tightly engage clamping member 22, andconsequently the supporting memberll. The perforating member 30 is thenmanually depressed, during which operation the prongs 34 and 33 shearoppositely disposed openings in the can lid, with the opening cut byprong 33 conveniently located for pouring the contents and the openingcut by prong 34 serving as an air vent. When not in use, member 30remains depressed with the prongs projecting into the openings so. as toexclude air, dust, and other foreign matter. To use, handle 14 is gras dby the hand, lifterportion 32 depresse and the can tilted to pourthe'contents through the outlet opening.

Although not necessarily restricted thereto, the device is especiallyadapted and is of particular utility in connection with cans ofevaporated or condensed milk. In this particular use, the liquidhas atendency to congeal between the edges of the openings and theperforating prongs, so that an airtight container is provided even afterthe precise details of construction set forth, but

desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as comewithin the scope of the appended claims. I 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: p I

1. A device for perforating condensed milk cans or the like, comprisinga supporting arm arranged to extend transversely,

across the top. of a can, a finger member on said armfor engaging oneedge of said can, a bracket member mounted upon said arm adjacent theopposite edge of said can, a clamping member pivotally mounted upon saidbracket member and provided with a clamping jaw arranged to engage thead acent edge of said can, a manually operable clamping leverconstructed and arranged. to force said clamping member into-clampingengagement in one position and to disengage said clamping member in asecond posit1on, a perforating member pivotally mounted relative to saidarm,and a prong mounted upon said perforatingmember and arranged whensaid perforatingv memberis depressed to shear a pouring opening in thetop of said can and also normallyto close said opening. p 2. A devicefor perforating condensed mllk.

cans or the like, comprising a supporting arm arranged to extendtransversely across the top of a can, a finger member on said arm forengaging one edge of saidcan a bracket member mounted upon said armadjacent the, opposite edge of said can, a clampi-n mem-' ber pivotallymounted upon, s ai.d racket member and provided with a clamp ng awarranged to engage the adjacent edge-ofsaid can, a manually operableclamping lever constructed and arranged to force saidifclamping memberinto clamping engagement in pne position and to disengage said clampingmember in a second'position, a, pe member pivotally mounted relat arm, aprong mounted uponsaidperf ating member and arranged when said perforatipg member'is depressed to shearapojir g opening in the top of said canand?! so i to close said opening, and asecprr prong mounted upon saidperforating member and arranged when said perforating member isdepressed to shear an air vent opening in the top of said can and alsonormally to close said opening.

A device for perforating condensed milk cans or the like, comprising asupporting arm arranged to extend transversely across the top of a can,a finger member on said arm for engaging one edge of said can,-

a bracket member mounted upon said arm adjacent the opposite edge ofsaid can, said bracket member provided with transversely alignedopenings, a clamping member pivot ally mounted upon said bracket memberand provided with a clamping jaw arranged to engage the adjacent edge ofsaid can and also provided with transversely aligned openings adapted toregister with said bracket member openings, a manually operable clampinglever having a transverse portion arranged to pass through said bracketmember openings as well as said clamping member openings to exert acamming action upon said clamping member and force the same intoclamping engagement in one position of said lever and to disengage saidclamping member in a second position of said lever, a perforating memberpivotally mounted relative to said arm, and a prong mounted upon saidperforating member and arranged when said perforating member isdepressed to shear a pouring opening in the top of said can and alsonormally to close said opening.

4. A device for perforating condensed milk cans or the like, comprisinga supporting arm arranged to extend transversely across the top of acan, a finger member on said arm for engaging one edge of said can, abracket member mounted upon said arm adjacent the opposite edge of saidcan, said bracket member provided with transversely aligned openings, aclamping member tally mounted upon said bracket member and provided witha clamping jaw arranged to engage the adjacent edge of said can and alsoprovided with transversely aligned openings adapted to register withsaid bracket member openings, a manually operable clamping lever havinga transverse portion arranged to pass through said bracket memberopenings as well as said clamping member openings to exert a cainmingaction upon said clamping member and force the same into clampingengagement in one position of said lever and to disengage said clampingmember in a second position of said lover, a perforating memberpivotally mounted relative to said arm, a prong nibiinted upon saidperforating member and arranged when said perforating member isdepressed to shear a pouring opening in thctop of said can and alsonormally to close said opening, and a second air vent prong mounted uponsaid per forating member arranged when said In testimony whereof I havesigned myname to this specification.

AUGUST MANTEUFEL.

